Morris dancers at the London Olympics

Subject: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: mooman
Date: 17 Oct 05 - 12:09 PM

Just noticed this story on the Beeb:

Morris dancers at the London Olympics

That's not my tradition at all so I'm neutral but it doesn't seem a bad idea to incorporate Morris somehow.

Any thoughts?

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: John Routledge
Date: 17 Oct 05 - 03:11 PM

Certainly a bit of lateral thinking by the Establishment

Could work very well.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 17 Oct 05 - 03:51 PM

Why do I keep thinking it's a nefarious plot to get all the UK morris dancers in one place and than find some clever way to do them all in at once? They could send in ... oh, a dragon, for instance (Saracen knights being entirely out of the question), who could quickly reduce 14,000 morris dancers to a little heap of scorched bells. Then St. George could come in and save the day (but not the morris dancers of course -- too late for them).

This would certainly make for an interesting mummer's play, putting English culture right out there for all to see while at the same time eliminating forever the annoyance of those noisy, disruptive exhibitions of public morris dancing.

Thank heaven my team is Across the Pond and thus safe from this potential incident of Mass Morricide.

Claire

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Oct 05 - 04:52 PM

Isn't Morris Dancing some sort of ancient British fertility rite? And will the UK government take responsibility for the mass pregnancies that might result if it is?

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Mr Red
Date: 17 Oct 05 - 05:08 PM

Rapaire - you hve no idea the forces you are unleashing - there are almost as many thoeries as Morris sides. Now consider this - a football team is also referred to as a side - is this a common origin?

Why are they called sides when football teams face each other head to head? Side may refer to the sides of the stream or other village/village demarcation ......... then again .......

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Mr Red
Date: 17 Oct 05 - 05:10 PM

Just thought - does that pre-empt .....................

Rivermorris ?

Arrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Oct 05 - 05:58 PM

14,000 Morris dancers? Are they counting people who dance for more than one side once or twice (or in the case of Roger the Penguin, 4 times)?

I would suggest that the pregnancies might result in people doing something more interesting than watching people playing beach volleyball or synchronised swimming..... like when ITV went on strike in the 1970's......

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Oct 05 - 06:30 PM

It could actually be an excellent opportunity to BAN morris dancing completely.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Dead Horse
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 07:06 AM

Hmmmmm. Hundreds of people with back-packs, carrying clubs and swords, half of them with their faces painted black & wearing decidedly odd looking clothing, all descending on the London Olympics?
I think we better think this out again!

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Hopfolk
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 07:12 AM

Oh dear, Morris isn't about perfection, it's about joi de vivre.
And no-one would pass the drugs tests.

CamoJohn

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST,The black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 07:45 AM

RIVERMORRIS!!
So there was a spy at the Wrigley Head practice last Saturday eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 07:59 AM

Well I'm glad it isn't actually going to be an Olympic event, or we'd probably come last.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: AggieD
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 08:05 AM

Oh no can you imagine the arguments as to who does any paricular dance correctly???

Perhaps RiverMorris would be the only way to go.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: mooman
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 08:07 AM

JoeClone to combine similar threads?

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST,JKN.
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 08:39 AM

Sounds like a clever idea, 14,000 beer bellied and bearded Morris
dancers prancing about waving sticks and hankies, preferably with
a commentary from John Cleese, whilst the cream of the worlds
athletes are unable to compete due to fits of laughter, the British team should reap a bumper haul of medals.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST,Morry Dancer
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 09:14 AM

I wish ta go ya bunch of fools would stop using my name for your pervert prancing around. I go to the bar and order a beer and some guy says, "Hey Morry! How comes ya ain't got them little hankies on yer wrists, huh?" and then I gotta hit him while he's laughing and all. Then there's a big fight and we wreck the joint and the cops come and arrest everybody.

So I'm getting tired of it, see? So call your chickenhop something else, like the Watusi or a Square Dance, but if you don't stop calling it Morris Dance I'm gonna come over there and bang your heads until you DO stop. Understand?

Sincerely yours,

Morris Dancer
Teaneck, New Jersey

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 09:18 AM

A great idea. It would certainly be colourful.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 10:45 AM

We should only demonstrate traditions we are proud of.

I would rather the rest of the world did not see adults prancing around like idiots in fancyy dress.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 11:19 AM

Why ever not? They're going to see grown men and women in shorts running in circles, throwing lumps of metal about, chasing various types of balls around fields, dancing on ice and calling it sport, synchronised swimming... need I really go on?

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Crystal
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 11:21 AM

Guest may not be proud of his culture, but I am!

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Rapparee
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 01:30 PM

You're proud of his culture?

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 01:45 PM

Anyone who's ever tried to organise a dance-out, let alone a Day of Dance, will know the idea of organising 14 000 dancers is a non-starter...

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: mooman
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 02:35 PM

I dunno...

Just fill the Olympic pool with beer and it'll sort itself out!

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 05:26 PM

I'll drink to that Mooh! It had best be decent beer though, none of the fizzy crap!
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 05:54 PM

Dear Morry Dancer ~

You are obviously not from round yur, so I would suggest you rethink your contribution. Like so many things you claim to have 'invented', the Brits got there first, so yah boo sucks to you.

Why don't you change YOUR name by deed poll.... You could call yourself Tap, or Pole or Lap.....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Girl Friday
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 08:52 PM

Hum.... Rivermorris sounds like a great idea. Take em to Thamesside....Tower Bridge to be precise.... wait until a big ship hoves into view and .....

                         / \   OPEN THE BRIDGE.


just kidding....I really like morris dancers. Couldn't eat a whole one though.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Dead Horse
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 10:48 PM

Fill the pool with beer!!! Where would I be able to piss then?

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Oct 05 - 02:47 AM

Oh Dead, don't you know that's what the sand pits in the long jump are for?

I'm just wondering if they'd be able to use the javelin instead of longswords.....?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Oct 05 - 02:48 AM

Ban it now before its tooooo late

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Oct 05 - 06:23 AM

It's bad enough living near the damn events... having extra put on our council tax to pay for the buildings... but to have all those extra bloody Morris dancers is the final straw! I'm contemplating moving to Dorset for the duration...

Oh wait, bugger.. they're having it there too!!


Dammn.


Anything happening in Alaska?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Folkiedave
Date: 19 Oct 05 - 08:47 AM

Sheffield City Morris performed at the opening ceremony of the World Student Games to critical accclaim from the particpants. As we always do when abroad. Only the English speaking nations take the mickey. http://www.citymorris.f9.co.uk/International.htm

When my students used to ask me why I did it ( I was an FE lecturer) I mentioned the fitness, beer, travel around the world, the members of the opposite sex, food, and lots of other things I had enjoyed as a dancer.

When I asked them what they did the answer invariably came "I follow Wednesday" - (a football team for those who don´t know).

And they were trying to take the piss out of me?

Dave

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: mouldy
Date: 19 Oct 05 - 10:02 AM

I was at the World Student Games too. We were the only non-Sheffield area side there, brought in to make up the numbers. Given that we had the choreographer from the Los Angeles Olympics in charge, she did an admirable job. All we had to do was make sure we got to where we were supposed to be on the field at the right time. She didn't interfere with what we danced. I think the musicians did a grand job, miming to the music!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Oct 05 - 10:11 AM

Ah, 1991, the dear days! Best bit was tip-toeing, in a hurry, up an iron staircase, wearing clogs and bells, without making a noise as we weren't to disturb the VIPs. And all thet running up and down the steps got me fit.
All together - ONE-2-3-4-5-6 TWO-2-3-4-5-6...BUFFER STEEL!!

OOps, thread creep, tiptoeing away quietly again

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: JohnB
Date: 19 Oct 05 - 10:49 AM

It could not become an Olympic event, where would they get the French and Russian judges from?
JohnB.

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 19 Oct 05 - 03:44 PM

The Mummers plays! They'll be no shortage of people speaking very heavily forignly accented english, with berets/fur hars, and a mysterious knowledge of Morris dancing...

Subject: RE: BS: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Oct 05 - 03:49 PM

Ah yes.. I remember those World Student Games.... don't recall much, but I do remember being there. Can anyone enlighten me?

LTS

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 01:08 AM

You can't remember taking a giant down an escalator?

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 01:54 AM

Oh....I thought it said "Morris dances at the London Olympics," and I couldn't imagine why they would want to have a fat, talking cat doing a dance as part of the opening ceremonies. Never mind.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Doktor Doktor
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 04:38 AM

Ummm cats ?????

I thought it was all about moggie 1000's .............

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: mouldy
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 05:51 AM

First big memory of that event is of starting halfway up the main grandstand and running down the steps and to the far side of the field, wearing clogs. Our drummer got a lovely close-up as he flew past the camera with the drum balanced on his hip!
Another memory is of lurking round the marathon gate after we'd done our bit, and cheering on the teams as they entered the parade. The Japanese team whipped out identical looking cameras as they passed and all took our pics. The drummer ended up trading badges with the Russians.
Then we all got packed into one of the exit tunnels and managed to see the rest of the ceremony from there: they did let us out to watch the fireworks. And I also remember Helen Sharman dropping the torch. I actually think she tripped over the wind gauge, or whatever that thing is that runs round the inside edge of the track.

Andrea

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: LesB
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 08:24 AM

I noticed an interesting concept further back in the thread

" RIVERMORRIS!!So there was a spy at the Wrigley Head practice last Saturday eh? "

Wrigley Head practice, it'll never catch on.

Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST,molly dancer
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 06:24 PM

A great idea to open the Olympics with massed morris dancing, as well as the colourful exciting display we would be guaranteed good sunny weather throughout the event. Just like Sidmouth!!

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 12:35 AM

LesB, I can't follow any of this, but I suspect your comment "Wrigley Head practice, it'll never catch on" is somewhat analogous to Gandhi's answer when an interviewer asked him, "What do you think of Western civilization?" He is reputed to have replied, "I think it would be an excellent idea."

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 03:38 AM

Mark, you have it exactly.

Wrigley Head Practice is like Military Intelligence... you just can't see how it would work.

LTS

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 12:25 PM

Why is no one proud to be english

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 01:41 PM

Because it's simply not English to be proud of being English, at least in the over the top manner so favoured abroard....

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST, Mikefule
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 01:43 PM



The sad truth is, most English people are just proud that they're not foreign.

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Bizibod
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 06:32 PM

Not proud particularly, just jolly relieved!

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 06:36 PM

Given how vacuous and inane The Olympics are, Morris would fit right in...

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST, Mikefule
Date: 22 Oct 05 - 03:56 PM

Imagine training hard, up at stupid o'clock every morning, running, doing weights after work, undergoing massage and ice baths, watching your nutrition with every meal I take, and having little or no social life for four years, and making it to the Olympics to represent your country in a sport you love, then busting a gut to win, only to come somewhere down the order. Imagine knowing that the training you're doing now will give you arthritis or tendonitis in ten years. Vacuous?

Two members of my family have represented this country in their chosen sports - my sister being in the world championship gold team.

Be dismissive of the hype that goes with the Olympics by all means, but top level sport and sportsmen - especially in the less glamourous or lucrative sports - deserve more respect than that.

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Oct 05 - 02:10 AM

Mikefule ~ As someone who will be living within spitting distance of the Olympic stadia, it's not the contenders or the activities we find vacuous; after all, it's my daughter's schoolfellows who could be competing (watch out for a young lad called Lolu, 11 now and already damned fast) - more the promises of regeneration, rebuilding and revitalisation, along with improved services generally, high local employment opportunites and increased income to the area that we are sceptical of... particularly as we who live in the area have already started paying for the damned thing regardless of whether we're sports fans or not and so far got nothing but pollution, clogged roads and higher council tax.

And as the wife of a Morris dancer who performs regularly (once a year is regular isn't it?) abroad and at home, I can heartily concur with and paraphrase 'a morris dancer is without honour in his own country'.

LTS

LTS

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Folkiedave
Date: 23 Oct 05 - 03:51 AM

Be dismissive of the hype that goes with the Olympics by all means, but top level sport and sportsmen - especially in the less glamourous or lucrative sports - deserve more respect than that.

I think there is a slight misunderstaanding here, perhaps due to the title of the thread.

Most large Games - Olympic, Commonwealth and World Student for example, have a cultural festival and an opening ceremony associated with them.

It is this we are talking about - not morris dancing as a competitive sport. I am sure no-one is dismissing top level sports people. As a retired morris dancer (knees gave way) I know what it is like to practise for years and suffer for it later.

Missed out the ice baths though.

Dave

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Tradsinger
Date: 24 Oct 05 - 02:37 AM

I think that having Morris at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics is a great idea. What I will say is that the public will not want to see grey-haired morris men (or women) in their 50s (among whom I count myself) but will want to see vigorous youth. I would also be wary of the flowers in hats costume as that usually comes in for ridicule, albeit unwarranted.

What an opportunity to get fit young people involved and an opportunity to change Morris' image (and costume). Let the authorities start a training programme now (with help from the greyheads,of course)!

Gwilym

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 24 Oct 05 - 04:42 AM

Trad - if you need help seeking out fit young men, please consider me for the post.....

: )

LTS

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Crystal
Date: 24 Oct 05 - 05:16 AM

I'll help too!
Can we have young men in tight trousers please!
And can I take part? I'm young (and female, but I just want to get close to all the aformentioned young men in tight trousers!)

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Dave Masterson
Date: 24 Oct 05 - 08:21 AM

Too late LtS.... they're already here, and go by the name of Dogrose Morris. They appeared on Jools Holland's show in 2003 and they were fantastic. Enough to give Morris dancing a good name.

Crystal must be too young to remember South Down Morris who were also young (about 20 years ago!) and used to register about 8.5 on the Tight Trouser Scale...so Eileen tells me, I wouldn't know about such things etc. etc.

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Crystal
Date: 24 Oct 05 - 09:38 AM

Yes I'm too young to remember them, but I'll happily oggle Dogrose Morris!

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 24 Oct 05 - 06:10 PM

Who remembers Seven Champions doing their Fame routine in Lycra body suits at Sidmouth some years ago?

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: mouldy
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 06:51 AM

There's a short, scathing article at the bottom of page 67 of Sunday's Independent. It's by some bloke called Andrew Mueller (and sits under a main article by Prof. Sir Robert Winston entitled "TV is the greatest art form").
The morris piece is in the "Bad Idea/ Good Idea" space at the bottom* of the page: heading "A load of old bells will ruin the Games". Referring to Lord Redesdale, who has proposed the dancers for the event, Andrew Mueller states, "...Redesdale's dream needs to be urgently and brutally suppressed. Not because of any tedious, modern disdain for Britisn traditions, but for the simple reason that it looks so silly. The spectacle of prancing idiots in floral hats tickling each other's beards with sticks will irrecoverably damage Britain's global standing."
This man has never obviously been within clashing distance of a long morris stick, and is, like so many, labouring under the illusion that morris stopped in the Cotswolds!

* The "good idea" is the Bottom Enlarger!

Andrea

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 07:07 AM

Is rapper Morris dancing?

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: GUEST,CamoJohn
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 07:18 AM

If you consider "Morris" as deriving from Moorish, then no, but the term "Morris dancing" does include Rapper, so yes.

Andrew Mueller is a 37yr old Australian media critic, and let's face it, Australians in British media don't really have a good track record (Like Rupert Murdoch, for instance, openly attempting to systematically destroy the Royal family). The sad thing is that holes like this guy are allowed to spout their offensive twaddle in British media.

here's the INXS-lookylike nob's email addy if ya wanna mass flame his antipodean ass: [e-mail]

CamoJohn (Just started Cotswold)

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 08:34 AM

"used to register about 8.5 on the Tight Trouser Scale".. which makes leapfrog dancers rather dangerous and split capers live up to their names!

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Dave Masterson
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 08:35 AM

"The spectacle of prancing idiots in floral hats tickling each other's beards with sticks will irrecoverably damage Britain's global standing."

Didn't we do that when we invaded Iraq? That's something you can't blame the Morris for.

What is it with this country? Do the Greeks laugh at the soldiers in Athens with their 'skirts' and pom-pom shoes? Of course not. Nobody in this country seems happy unless they're criticizing, sneering at those who do anything slightly different to the masses, or pulling people down.

This country doesn't deserve the Olympics.

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Snuffy
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 08:56 AM

What are the alternatives?

Pearly Kings & Queens doing Knees up Mother Brown?
Football fans doing You're gonna get yer fucking head kicked in?

I'll stick with the morris every time

Subject: RE: Morris dancers at the London Olympics
From: Crystal
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 09:54 AM

Or the popular culture alternative; Pre teen girls in obscene costumes grinding their hips to songs whose main lyrics are about sex.
It is disgusting, and practically child pornography, yet will probably get sincere consideration by the people running the show!